Best Numbers To Bet In Craps
Many people believe that craps is quite a challenging game and even assume they cannot learn to play it. However, this concept is wrong, and craps rules are straightforward – the players place wagers on the results that come out after throwing two dice. What can confuse you and make the game somewhat challenging is the multiple craps bets available.
Most bets in craps are quite easy to understand, but the main difficulty comes from their significant number, which makes the game a bit complicated and inexperienced players often get confused and cannot distinguish the best craps bets.
The other two thirds of the time, the shooter will instead throw one of the numbers that appears on the top of the craps layout: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. When the latter happens, the number thrown will become the shooters “point number.”. While some bets are good bets, others are not. Here are some bets it’s best to avoid when playing craps: Big 6 and 8. Big 6 and Big 8 bets are bets stating that a specific number (6 or 8, depending on the bet) will be rolled before a 7 is. No other numbers effect this bet, it is simply a race between 7 and 6 or 8 depending on the bet. Craps (version 2) - Part 3 of 5: Video for the new Craps tutorials, Sucker Bets. AUG 7 Vegas 2066: Fiction about a reclusive individual fifty years in the future and how the game of craps opens him up to the possibilities in the, 'Real world' JUL 29 Craps (version 2) - Part 2 of 5: Part 2 Video for the new Craps tutorials; View All. The Best Craps Bets The best bets in craps are the pass line bet, taking the odds, the don’t pass bar, the come bet, and placing the 6 or the 8. Let’s look at each.
Happily, it is not significant players to be closely familiar with all wagers to play craps – it is enough to understand the pass line and don’t pass line bets, the odds bets and the come and don’t come wagers. Below you will find detailed information about these essential bets, description of other types of craps bets, and valuable data about the best bets in craps. Thus, you will be able to come up with a craps betting strategy that works for you.
Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bets
These bets are not only the easiest to understand but also the two most common wagers. Typically, shooters have to place one of these two wagers before they make the come-out roll. Some casinos also require players to make the pass line or don’t pass bet before they place any other bets.
The main rules about these two chances are that players need to put them right before the come-out roll and that the two wagers pay 1:1 when they are winning, which means that the bets pay even cash.
In case the come-out roll comes in seven or eleven, then the pass line wager is successful. The bet is unsuccessful if the outcome is two, three or twelve. When any other number comes out as a result of the roll, it establishes the so-called “point, ” and the bet remains valid until the player turns the point or goes seven. In the first case, i.e. when the point comes out of the roll, the bet registers a win. However, if the player throws 7, then the bet loses.
The don’t pass win will bring a win to the punter when the come-out throw results in two or three. It will lose if the player throws seven or eleven. Throwing 12, the wager neither wins nor loses, and it becomes pushed. If any other value comes out of the roll, this value becomes the point. In case the shooter hits the point again, the bet releases a loss, but the wager is winning if the shooter rolls seven.
Come and Don’t Come Wagers
These two wagers are very much like the pass and don’t pass ones with the single difference that the players should place them after establishing the point instead of before that. The concept behind the come and don’t come craps bets may be a bit confusing, so we will discuss it in details to help you understand them thoroughly.
A come bet will win if the shooter rolls seven or eleven, and it will lose if the shooter throws two, three or twelve. In case the player throws any other number of the dice, it becomes the point for the come bet. Thus, if the dice roll five, then five is the point. The shooter throws again, and the wager is still valid. The bet wins if the shooter rolls five again and loses in case the result of the throw is 7.
The other way round, the don’t pass wager does not succeed if the shooter hits seven or eleven on their first roll after the placing of the stake. The bet succeeds if the dice run two or three. Any other number fixes the point and the stakes continue to be valid until the shooter rolls the point and your bet loses or they throw seven and your bet wins.
The come and don’t come wagers give even cash when they become winning, meaning that the ratio is 1:1.
Odds Craps Bets
Now that you are familiar with the four most essential bets in the dice game, we will describe the other types of wagers, so that you will be able to establish your craps betting strategy. Odds wagers resemble side bets, and players make them after the establishment of a point in each game. There are four types of odds wagers which are extensions of the four bets we described above: pass line odds, don’t pass odds, come odds and don’t come odds.
The pass line odds enhance your pass line bet after the establishment of a point. It loses if the shooter throws seven and wins if they roll the point before rolling seven. The key benefit of the pass line odds wager is that you win, you get your payment at true odds, which means that there is hardly any house edge. The payouts are different depending on the point. Thus, if the point is four or ten, the ratio is 2:1. If the point is five or nine, the payouts are 3:2, and in case the shooter throws six or eight, the payouts are 6:5. According to the rules of craps, you should announce that you are “taking the odds” when you decide to make a pass line odds wager. There is a limit as to the stake because there is no house edge in this case. Players can stake up to three times the total sum of their initial pass line bet, but some casinos allow larger amounts to stake.
The don’t pass odds wager boosts the don’t pass bet, and it wins if the dice run seven before throwing the point. The bet is unsuccessful if the shooter runs the point before rolling seven. The winning bet pays out at true odds, and there is no house edge here, too. Here are different payouts according to the point that the shooter rolls: in case the player throws four or ten, the payment is 1:2; if the point is five or nine, the payouts are 2:3; if the shooter rolls six or eight, the ratio is 5:6. The rules about craps bets define that you need to announce that you are “laying the odds” in case you are willing to put a don’t pass odds wager. There is a limit as to the amount of the stake due to the lack of a house edge.
Big 6 and Big 8
These two craps bets are easy to understand – the big six chance becomes winning if the shooter throws six before rolling seven; the big eight wager wins in case the shooter goes eight before throwing seven. Both bets pay out 1:1, meaning that the payouts are even if they win.
Place Win and Place Lose Bets
Gamblers can make place win wagers after the come-out throw and after the establishment of the point. The player can put a bet on the numbers four, five, six, eight, ten or nine. The wager wins if the number you have selected comes out before seven. Again, the payout ratios depend on the particular number. Thus, if you have selected six or eight, the ratio is 7:6; in case you have betted on five or nine, the payouts are 7:5; if your number is four or ten, the ratio is 9:5.
The place lose wagers are exactly the opposite of the place win ones. You can bet on the same set of numbers (four, five, six, eight, nine or ten) but here the wager wins if the shooter throws seven before rolling the number you have selected. Once again, the payouts distribution depends on the specific number: six or eight get 4:5 payouts; if you have picked five or nine, the ratio is 5:9; and in case the number is four or ten, the payouts are 5:11.
Field Wagers
The field wagers are placed on the following roll of the dice. The bet succeeds if the shooter hits two, three, four, nine, ten, eleven or twelve and pays double in case of two or twelve and even money for all other numbers. The wager loses if the shooter throws five, six, seven or eight.
Buy and Lay Wagers
Buy bets resemble place win wagers because the player bets that the shooter will roll a given number before throwing seven. The variation is that here the payouts are larger, but players have to pay a commission amounting to 5%. The policy regarding the fee varies, and some casinos require the player to pay it upon placing the wager while other betting providers get it from you only in case your bet wins. The amount of the payout depends on the number the player has selected. Thus, in case you bet on six or eight, the payment is 6:5; if you choose five or nine, the ratio is 3:2, and picking four or ten will give you a payout at 2:1.
In essence, the lay wager is just opposite to the buy bet, meaning that players place a bet that the shooter will throw seven before rolling a given number. Again, there is a commission of five per cent. The payouts are higher compared to the place lose wager, and the ratios are the following: 5:6 for six and eight; 2:3 for five and nine; 1:2 for four and ten.
Hardways
Adopting a successful craps betting strategy requires knowing all possible odds and all rules. If the shooter throws a number as a double to two values, then we say that they have thrown the number the hard way. Thus, a hard six is a double three. The hard way wagers get their name from this rule. These bets allow players to place a wager on rolling a hard four, a hard six, a hard six or a hard ten before seven to win. Again, the payouts depend on the particular number you have selected – the ratio for four and ten is 7:1, while the payout for six and eight is 9:1.
Proposition Wagers
There are several different types of proposition bets. These craps bets offer bigger payouts than the other wagers, but the house edge is higher, too. Experts recommend avoiding them due to the increased risk involved, but you can still practice these bets if you are eager to take the chance. Here are the various proposition bets that are all settled on the following roll:
- Any craps (7:1) – the bet wins if the shooter throws two, three or twelve;
- Any 7 (4:1) – the wager is successful if the dice roll seven;
- Any 11 (15:1) – the bet wins if the shooter rolls eleven;
- Ace Deuce (15:1) – the bet is successful in case the dice throws three;
- Boxcar (30:1) – the wager wins if the dice rolls twelve;
- Aces (30:1) – the bet wins if the shooter throws two.
Best Craps Bets
The primary aim of betting providers is to take the money of clients, and your main purpose is to prevent this by placing good wagers. To help you achieve success, we will list some of the best bets in craps. Thus, understanding the best craps bets, you will be able to develop a winning craps betting strategy and avoid losing cash.
Placing pass line wager is not the wisest thing you can do, but the situation is much different if you put odds behind the pass, come, don’t pass and don’t come wagers. Why is that? The main reason is that the odds reduce the house edge and thus boosts your winnings or limit your losses if the bet is unsuccessful.
Our list of the best bets in craps continues with the place wagers on six or eight. If you place a bet to win, the house edge amounts 1.52 percent and placing the wager to win has a house edge of 1.82 percent. The house edge is quite reasonable in these two cases.
Another addition to the best craps bets selection is the lay wager against four or ten. In this instance, the house edge equals 2.44 percent, which is a bit higher than other bets but it is still entirely manageable and can bring success.
Fields wagers typically payout 2:1, but they can rank among the best bets in craps when casinos provide triple payment. When betting providers have such an offer, the house edge is as low as 2.78 percent, and the wager becomes quite intriguing. It is advisable to place fields wager only in case the casino provides a triple payment.
Now that you are familiar with the various types of craps bets alongside with the best bets in craps, you can develop your craps betting strategy and place successful bets.
How to Play Craps
Craps is one of the most exciting Casino games around as it is high in Player involvement. You will regularly hear yelling and shouting at one of the tables in a land-based casino. It is played on a purpose-built table using two dice.
Like most Casino games, you play against the House (Casino) as opposed to other players and as there are lots of different betting options you can bet on when guessing what numbers will come up when the dice are rolled, there is plenty of choices to make too.
In this article we discuss how to play craps giving you a break down of craps rules and everything you need to win at the game. This is part 1 of a two part article. After learning the basics of craps rules, the second part is about more advanced strategies and tips.
Craps Rules
Craps rules can be more difficult than in other casino games, but once learned this can be a very social and enjoyable game with some terrific betting odds.
The Objective of the game
Players need to guess the outcome of 2 standard, 6-sided dice being rolled and what the total of the 2 dice will be.
Dice Values
The game is played with a set of two perfectly balanced dice with each die having six white dots numbered 1 through 6. There is an equal chance of each number being rolled.
Possible Dice Combinations:
Number | Combination | Ways To Roll |
---|---|---|
2 | 1-1 | One |
3 | 1-2, 2-1 | Two |
4 | 1-3, 3-1, 2-2 | Three |
5 | 1-4, 4-1, 2-3, 3-2 | Four |
6 | 1-5, 5-1, 2-4, 4-2, 3-3 | Five |
7 | 1-6, 6-1, 2-5, 5-2, 3-4, 4-3 | Six |
8 | 2-6, 6-2, 3-5, 5-3, 4-4 | Five |
9 | 3-6, 6-3, 4-5, 5-4 | Four |
10 | 4-6, 6-4, 5-5 | Three |
11 | 5-6, 6-5 | Two |
12 | 6-6 | One |
Names of Dice Rolls
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 | Snake Eyes | Loose Deuce | Easy Four | Fever Five | Easy Six | Natural |
2 | Loose Deuce | Hard Four | Fever Five | Easy Six | Natural | Easy Eight |
3 | Easy Four | Fever Five | Hard Six | Natural | Easy Eight | Nina |
4 | Fever Five | Easy Six | Natural | Hard Eight | Nina | Easy Ten |
5 | Easy Six | Natural | Easy Eight | Nina | Hard Ten | Yo |
6 | Natural | Easy Eight | Nina | Easy Ten | Yo | Boxcars |
Game Session Preparations:
Set your budget – As a general rule, you need enough for 50 bets when playing table games.
Choose your table – All will have a minimum and maximum amount you can place on all different bets, choose one where each of your favourites is no more than one-fiftieth of your budget. i.e. if you have a bankroll of $/€/£200, you should be looking at betting no more than $/€/£4 per time
Find a space at the table – Unlike many Casino games, players always stand and do not have a specific area where they place bets – there are many different types of bets that all players can use. This is irrelevant when playing online.
Decide how much you would like to change up and play with – You will be given chips, the sizes of which depend on how much you change up and the limits of the tables.
Game Progression
To begin, the Shooter (one of the Players) needs to bet at least the table minimum on either the Pass Line or the Don’t Pass Line
The game is played in Rounds, with the right to roll the dice by each player moving clockwise around the table at the end of each round. A player may choose not to roll but can continue to bet.
Once all players have made their desired bets, the Round begins. Each round has two phases: Come Out and Point. To start a round, the shooter makes one or more Come Out rolls.
Payouts are sometimes made after each roll, and sometimes made after several rolls; see the individual Bet descriptions for details.
Craps Table Layout
We will delve more into the table layout features below in the Placing Bets section. On the Craps table there are two Dealers, a Stickman, and a Boxman.
The Stickman uses a long flexible stick to push the dice around the table, gathering the dice after rolls and pushing them to the player.
The Boxman is the person in charge of the game and has final decision-making authority.
The Dealers cash chips and ensure that bets are placed on the table correctly.
Placing Bets in Craps
Out of 990 decisions at the craps table, you can expect to lose 14 decisions more than you win.
As with any Casino game, there will invariably be swings, both large and small, either way when it comes to winning or losing. In the relatively short time you will be playing, there will be fluctuations in this house edge, so at times things will be going in your favor.
Best Craps Bets To Make
You can place bets at any time, the best time to start doing this is when a new Shooter starts. The first thing he needs to do is Establish a Point.
If a Shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on his/her first roll, all other bets below can be made.
If a 2, 3 or 12 are rolled, all Players will win they are Come Out bets and the Shooter will continue rolling to establish a new Point.
If a 7 or 11 are rolled, all Players will lose their Come Out bets and a new Shooter will be designated.
Pass Line/Don’t Pass Line
When it is your turn to throw the dice, you must determine whether to bet the Pass line or the Don’t Pass line. Most Shooters, as well as most of the other players at the table, will bet the Pass line, as it is the basic bet in Craps.
The Pass line bet is an even-money bet that wins if you either roll a total of 7 or 11 on the Come-Out roll or if you throw a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on the Come-Out roll and repeat that number before you roll a 7. The Pass line bet loses if the Come-Out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (known as “craps”) or when a 7 is rolled before the established Point Number is repeated.
A Pass Line bet can be made at any time during a Shooter’s roll, even after he has established a Point. However, a bet placed on the Pass Line after a Point has been established is a very poor bet, since you have missed the opportunity to win on the Come-Out roll when the shooter throws a 7 or an 11. The only way you can now win is if the shooter repeats his point before he Sevens-Out.
Best Numbers To Bet In Craps Machine
Come Bets
A Come bet is identical to a Pass line bet, with one exception: A Come bet may be made on every throw of the dice once the Shooter has established a Point. A Come bet is made by placing the number of chips you wish to wager in the designated Come area of the table.
Once you place a Come bet, the very next roll of the dice becomes the Come-out roll for that bet. Therefore, if the Shooter rolls a 7, you will win even though Pass line betters will lose. If an 11 is rolled, you will win while the Line bets will not be affected. However, should one of the Craps numbers come up (2, 3 or 12) you will lose, but the Line bets will be unaffected.
If the Shooter throws one of the Box numbers on the first roll of the dice after you’ve made a Come bet, this number becomes an established Point for your Come bet. To win this bet, your Come point must be repeated before a 7 is rolled.
Once a Point has been established for your Come bet, the Dealer will move the chips you have bet to the corresponding numbered box on the layout to await a decision for that Point. When you win a Come bet, the Dealer will pay you off by placing your original bet, along with your winnings, in the Come section of the layout. If you do not immediately retrieve your chips, they will be in action on the next roll of the dice as a new Come bet (this is collected for you automatically when playing online).
The Don’t-Pass Line Bet
We know that a Pass line bet is simply a wager that the Shooter will win. But you also can bet that the shooter will fail to make a pass and thus lose.
The Don’t Pass line bet wins when the Shooter throws a Craps of 2 or 3, but not 12, on the Come-Out roll, or when he rolls a 7 before repeating his established Point number. This bet loses when the Come-Out roll is a 7 or 11, or when the Shooter repeats his Point number before rolling a 7.
The Don’t Pass line bet is the exact opposite of a pass line with one exception: Although a roll of 12 on the Come out loses for Pass line betters, it is not a winning number for Don’t Pass betters. It is a stand-off and neither wins nor loses. This is because if Don’t Pass betters were permitted to win in this situation, they would have an advantage over the house. So by barring (disallowing) the number 12 on the Come-Out roll, the casinos retain a small edge. Some casinos bar the number 2, but the effect is exactly the same.
Unlike a Pass line bet, a Don’t Pass bet can be removed after a Point number has been established on the Come-Out roll. Once a Point is established you have an advantage over the house, thus the casino has no objections to your taking down the bet. Of course, you should never do this. After going up against an 8 to 3 house edge on the Come-Out roll, you will have an overall average advantage of 18.8% after a Point has been established.
Laying the Odds
When the Shooter establishes a Point number on the Come-Out roll, players who have made Don’t Pass line bets are permitted to Lay the Odds. In the same way, Don’t Come bets are the exact opposite of Come bets (with the exception of a 12 is rolled on the Come bet), the Laying the Odds bet is the exact opposite of an Odds bet (which no exceptions).
Correct payoffs for Lay Odds bets are as follows:
Points 4 and 10 pay 1-to-2
Points 5 and 9 pay 2-to-3
Points 6 and 8 pay 5-to 6
Don’t Come Bets
Don’t Come bets can be placed on every throw of the dice after a Point has been established. After you have placed a Don’t Come bet, the very next throw of the dice becomes the Come-Out roll for that bet. If the Shooter rolls a Craps number of 2 or 3, you will win while Don’t Pass line betters will not be affected. If a 7 is rolled, you will lose and bets on the Don’t Pass will win. You also will lose if an 11 is thrown, although this number will not have a bearing on Don’t Pass bets. A roll of 12 is a stand-off.
Place bets on 6 and 8
A Place bet can be made on any of the Point numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10) at any time during a game and is simply a bet that one of these numbers will be rolled before the Shooter throws a 7. You cannot Take the Odds on Place bets.
Place bets on the 6 and 8 are paid off at 7-to-6 on correct odds of 6-to-5, which gives the casino an advantage of 1.51% on these numbers. To ensure that you receive the full 7-to-6 payoff on the 6 and 8, you must make your bet in multiples of six, such as $6, $12, $18, and so forth (this isn’t the case when playing online)
Place bets on the 5 and 9 carry a house advantage of 4%, and Place bets on 4 and 10 carry a house advantage of 6.6%.
Field Bets
This is a bet on the next number to be rolled. There are seven numbers inside the field area that if rolled, will result in a win. The numbers are 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12. If you make a wager in the field and any of the above numbers show on the next roll you will win. In many Casinos and some online sites, you win double or even treble your bet if a 2 or a 12 are rolled.
Proposition Bets
These bets can be made at any time and, they are all one roll bets.
Any Craps: Wins if a 2, 3 or 12 is thrown. Payoff 7:1
Any Seven: Wins if a 7 is rolled. Payoff 4:1
Eleven: Wins if a 11 is thrown. Payoff 15:1
Ace Duece: Wins if a 3 is rolled. Payoff 15:1
Horn Bet
: it acts as the bets on 2, 3, 11 and 12 all at once. Wins if one of these numbers is rolled. The payoff is determined according to the number rolled. The other three bets are lost.
Hardways Bets
This is a bet on a specific double coming out on the next roll. For example, if a player is putting money on the hard 6 the player is betting that the shooter will roll a 3,3. You can only bet on 2:2, 3:3, 4:4 or 5:5, and you are betting on a specific double to appear and not covering all of them.
Best Craps Bets
The best craps bets are the following:
Taking the Odds
When the Shooter establishes a Point on the Come-Out roll, any player who has made a Pass line bet is allowed to “take the Odds.” A single Odds bet is an additional bet, up to the amount of your original bet, that the Point number will be repeated before a 7 is rolled.
*Important* The “Odds Bet” is the best one you can make in the game because the house has no built-in advantage.
The Odds bet not only hasn’t any house edge associated with it, but also has no official designated space on the table. Therefore, to take the Odds, you must place the appropriate amount of chips behind your Pass line bet in the open area of the Craps layout (this is also the same when playing online).
The correct payoff for Odds bets varies from Point number to Point number, depending on the odds of a 7 being rolled before a particular point is repeated. Correct odds payoffs are as follows:
Points 4 and 10 pay 2-to-1
Points 5 and 9 pay 3-to-2
Points 6 and 8 pay 6-to-5
Craps Payouts
Bet | True Odds | Payout | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
Pass Line/Come Bet | 251 to 244 | 1 to 1 | 1.414 |
Don’t Pass/Don’t Come Bet | 976 to 949 | 1 to 1 | 1.402 |
Pass Line Odds/Come Bet Odds/Buy Bets (5% commission) | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 2 to 1 | 4.76 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 3 to 2 | 4.76 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 6 to 5 | 4.76 |
Don’t Pass Odds/Don’t Come Bet Odds/Lay Bets (5% commission) | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 1 to 2 | 1 to 2 | 2.44 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 2 to 3 | 2 to 3 | 3.23 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 5 to 6 | 5 to 6 | 4.0 |
Field Bets | |||
3, 4, 9, 10, 11 | 18 to 7 | 1 to 1 | 5.5 |
2, 12 | 18 to 1 | 2 to 1 | 5.5 |
Place Bets | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 9 to 5 | 6.7 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 7 to 5 | 4.0 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 7 to 6 | 1.52 |
Hardways | |||
6 or 8 | 10 to 1 | 9 to 1 | 9.09 |
4 or 10 | 8 to 1 | 7 to 1 | 11.1 |
One Roll Bets | |||
Any 7 | 5 to 1 | 4 to 1 | 16.9 |
Any craps | 8 to 1 | 7 to 1 | 11.1 |
2 craps or 12 craps | 35 to 1 | 30 to 1 | 13.9 |
3 craps or 11 | 17 to 1 | 15 to 1 | 11.1 |
Horn Bet (3 or 11) | 9 to 1 | 3.75 to 1 | |
Horn Bet (2 or 12) | 18 to 1 | 7.5 to 1 | |
Big 6 or 8 | 3.6 to 1 | 1 to 1 | 9.09 |
You can find a bet summary here.
Continue to Part II – Advanced Craps Strategy & Tips
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